I just got a pretty good deal on a Veritas Low-Angle Block Plane from the local classifieds. I picked it up for less than 1/3rd the cost! It’s in great shape and looks to have been used very little:

This is the first quality plane that I have owned and I’m looking forward to working with it. Already, with the little playing around I’ve done with it, I’m already wondering why I never had one before.

Continue reading 'The Plane, Boss, The Plane!'

Yesterday, in celebration of Easter, I made, what I’m calling, an Easter Basket Plant Pot Bowl:

The bowl is made of Maple with a band of Padauk running around its center. It’s approximately 4″ tall and 6″ in diameter. Because it is to be used as a flower pot I made the walls a bit thicker than I normally would, at about 1/2″.

Continue reading 'Easter Basket Plant Pot Bowl'

1. Round the edges of the back of your bandsaw blade to increase the allowable radius of a cut. This makes the cutting easier too.

2. To keep panels from bowing under clamp pressure while gluing, clamp lengths of angle aluminum on each end with the two opened edges on the wood (like an upside down ‘V’). Clamp the angle pieces just firmly enough to hold things in place. Then tighten the pipe clamps. Unlike iron or steel, aluminum won’t leave black marks where it contacts squeezed-out glue. Also, unlike a wooden cleat, it won’t become glued to the panel.

3. Don’t grab your wood from a tool like the table or band saw until you can count the teeth on the blade.

4. Do you need a quick zero clearance insert for your table, band or scroll saw? Use masking tape. It won’t last long but just may get you through a small project.

5. It is best not to wipe off the wet glue after clamping, as it will spread the glue around and make finishing difficult. However, if it is a water based glue, it should be removed before it is cured. The moisture of the glue raises the grain a little and when it hardens the moisture is trapped. Then later, when the glue is removed, the wood shrinks and a glue line becomes perceptible. If you use a scraper or chisel when the glue skims over it will come off in nice strips. Washing the glue off with a wet cloth works but you must be careful to get all off or it will be everywhere.

These are just a few tips that I picked up over this past week. They come from a variety of sources including books, magazines, newsletters, online and some from personal experience.

There are more Woodworking Tips and Tidbits located here.

Back to the shop…

Here’s a bit of woodworking from the past – it is an Arts and Crafts or Mission style mirror that I did about two years ago. It’s 4 feet long and 16 inches high and made out of Red Oak with a light stain and finish:

What I enjoyed about this project was the joinery and the curved top. The joinery was a bit of a challenge because it used lap joints that were different on the top than on the bottom and I had to compensate for the rabbet where the mirror would sit. The curved top, of course, had to perfect. If not, it would be very noticeable against the mirror.

Continue reading 'Arts And Crafts Mirror From The Past'